Solar Lifecycles: The Future of Solar Panel Recycling

In 2024, South Africans generated more electricity through private solar installations than Eskom’s largest power station. This news comes as no surprise after we imported a record-breaking number of solar panels during the 2023 loadshedding fiasco.

What homeowners don’t always consider, however, is what happens to the solar panels when they reach the end of their lives. Investing in solar panel recycling today will help us deal with solar waste down the line.

The good news is that PV panels only need to be replaced every 20 years, giving us plenty of time to get a solid recycling system in place. Here’s a closer look at what solar panel recycling entails and what it will take to implement it in South Africa.

Shedding Light on the Solar Panel Recycling Process

One of the biggest challenges in the waste industry is profitability. Recycling has to be financially viable for entrepreneurs to pursue it, and currently, solar panel recycling doesn’t yield much profit. It’s often cheaper to discard the panels as e-waste.

However, recycling companies are willing to take on the challenge. A solar panel’s aluminium and glass frame alone (which make up about 80% of its weight) could create sizable new income streams for South African recyclers. Solar panels also contain silver and copper, which can fetch a high price when recovered properly.

Key Benefits of Solar Panel Recycling in South Africa

Reduce the environmental impact of green energy
Build a circular economy that saves precious resources
Create jobs in recycling and waste management
Earn money exporting recycled materials
Reduce waste sent to landfill – our landfills are already under pressure
Feed local manufacturing with affordable secondary materials

Solar Panel Recycling Around the World

Europe

In 2018, a French company called Veolia built the first solar panel recycling facility in Europe. Before that, solar panels were ending up with the general e-waste. Recycling them with other electronics doesn’t yield the best results, so starting a dedicated facility for solar panels was a huge improvement.

Australia

Veolia’s technology started a race to find the best way of separating solar panel materials with greater precision. Researchers from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, for example, recently patented recycling technology that can separate 99% of a PV cell’s components.

Their technology relies on vibrating or “sieving” the solar cells to break them into smaller pieces, making it easier to remove the silver inside. Investing in such technology could help us recover precious metals that could become raw materials or valuable economic exports.

Why Can’t We Recycle Solar Panels with Other e-Waste?

Solar panels and e-waste should be recycled separately because it yields higher material recovery rates. The more high-quality glass, silicone, and rare earth metals you can save, the better.

Here’s what happens when you recycle PV panels with e-waste:

Only the solar panel’s aluminium frame can be recycled 100%
The glass, silicone, and other metals are crushed together
The result is a mixed cullet that doesn’t have much value
It can be mixed into concrete, but that is it’s only use

Barriers to Solar Panel Recycling in South Africa

Decommissioned solar panels are piling up, and South African recycling plants are “unequipped to deal with them.” This was the warning Francois Pretorius from the Institute for Futures Research (IFR) at Stellenbosch University shared on national news in 2023.

Implementing large-scale solar panel recycling in SA still faces many challenges, such as:

Significant financial investment.
High energy requirements amidst an unstable power grid.
Establishing an end-market for recovered materials.
Stakeholder buy-in (support from businesses, consumers, and government).

Our best disposal option right now is to export used solar panels to countries that can recycle them. Alternatively, consumers can repair or refurbish old solar panels through Reclite SA or e-Waste Africa.

On the Bright Side: Solar Panel Recycling Brings New Opportunity for SA

While implementing a local recycling system for solar panels may prove challenging, it could bolster the South African economy in the long run.

Currently, there is only one locally-owned solar panel manufacturing company in the country. With the right recycling technology, we could recover enough solar-grade silicon from end-of-life PV panels to increase that number considerably. Manufacturing solar panels locally reduces our reliance on imports, creates jobs, and supports national skills development.

Additionally, the high value of reclaimed silicon could further incentivize recycling and create export opportunities. Locally-made panels, upcycled raw materials, and offering recycling services to neighbouring nations would mean big gains for South Africa’s GDP.

Reaping the Environmental Benefits

We can’t talk about recycling and renewable energy without mentioning the environment. Scaling our current recycling system would mean less e-waste ending up in landfills. Solar panels are notorious for their creating pollution. They contain lead, cadmium, and other toxic substances that could threaten human health and endanger our food systems.

Recycling is a far better resource management strategy with a much lower environmental impact.. We can also refurbish, repurpose, and resell PV panels to make clean solar energy more accessible to all, reducing our reliance on fossil fuels.

The Role of EPR in Solar Panel Recycling Systems

South Africa made it illegal to send solar panels to landfills in 2021. This restriction forms part of the latest EPR regulations under the NEM: WA Act. Under the new law, businesses that import, manufacture, or sell solar panels are responsible for their end-of-life management.

Solar companies can remain compliant by implementing a take-back scheme for old PV panels to assist the customer with recycling or refurbishment.
Companies can join a producer responsibility organisation (PRO) for EPR assistance.

Despite the hurdles on our path, South Africa’s existing recycling industry is flourishing. With world-class EPR legislation to support our efforts, we could make solar panel recycling a lucrative reality. Contact eWASA for more information about e-waste recycling, EPR, and how to get involved.